Tile-making machine.



c. M. BBERLING. TILE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED LIAR.11,1912.

Patented Aug. 4, 19M

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C. M. EBERLING.

TILE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1912.

1,106,088. Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CU PHOTOJJTHOH WASHINGTON. D C.

C. M. EBERLING.

TILE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11,1912.

1,106,088, Patented Aug. 4, 1914 6 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

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TILE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mum MAR. 11, 1912.

1 ,1 06,088. Patented Aug. 4, 19M

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THE NORRIS PETERS (0. PIICJTU-LI'I'HO. WASHI/Vu TON, U k.

G. M. EBERLING.

TILE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mum. 1912.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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G. M. EBERLING.

TILE MAKING MACHINE.

PPLIOATION FILED 9 Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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CHARLES M. EBERLING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TILE-MAKING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. EBERLING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile-Making Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cement working machines and particularly to improvements in machines for making hollow cement tiles.

One object of this invention is to provide a machine which will be simple in construction, easily and rapidly operated and capable of producing a greater number of tiles in a given time than machines of this character hereto-fore placed on the market.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine which will compress the tile uniformly while it is being formed, thereby producing a perfectly shaped and compact tile, capable of resisting heavy strain. WVith these objects in view and with the intention of securing other advantages which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in providingmeans for compressing the wall of the tile outwardly from the center of the tile while the tile is being molded.

My invention further consists in providing in a machine of this character such an arrangement of parts that any size tile can be readily formed with but slight alterations in the working parts of the machine.

My invention further consists in certain new and useful features of construction and combination of parts, the preferred form of which is described in the specification, set forth in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is aside elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same showing the cement mixture in position to be operated upon by the shaping and compressing devices and also a number of completed tiles, no cement being shown in the hopper for the sake of clearness 1n the drawing. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the machine showing the parts in the same position as Figs. 1 and 2, andalso showing the hopper partially filled Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1912.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914:.

Serial No. 682,839.

of the moldbox removed, for the sake of clearness in the drawing. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a section on line 99, Fig. 6.

Again referring to the drawings, and par ticularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 9 and 10 represent the standards on which is supported the bed. or frame of the machine. This bed consists of two side members 11 which are spaced apart and are united by webs 12. Onthe inner face ofand near the to edge of each of the side members 11 is formed an inwardly projecting track forming flange 13. Vertical extensions or plates 14 and 15 are arranged at the top of each of the side mem-.

uvhen the mixture is being operated on to form the tiles. A hopper 18 extends from side to side of the bed and is supported on the )lates 11. At the left hand end of the mac 11118 (with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings) a shaft 20 extends between the side members 11 of the bed and is journalcd therein and projects beyond the bed at one side. Another shaft 21 extends between said side members 11 at the right hand end of the machine and is journalcd in said members. On the shaft 20 adjacent the inner face of each side member 11' is secured a sprocket whcel 22 and similarly on the shaft 21 are secured sprocket wheels 23. On the standard 9 at the left hand end of the machine are mounted brackets 24, which sn 'iport a shaft 25 on which are mounted idler-s 26, each of which has a groove 27 around the perimeter and on the standard 10 at the right hand end of the machine are mounted brackets 28 which support a shaft 29 having mounted thereon .idlers 30 having grooves 31 in their per imeters. An endless conveyer is supported on the sprocket wheels 22 and 23 and on the idlers 26 and 30. This conveyer comprises a series of slats 32 which are arranged side by side and are secured together at their ends by links 33. At each end each slat is provided with a roller 34 and as the chain is traveling longitudinally of the bed the said rollers travel on the tracks formed by the flanges 13 which extend inwardly from the said side members and therefore the conveyer is rigidly supported while passing over the bed of the machine. On the under surface near each end of each slat is formed a tooth 35, adapted to engage with the sprocket teeth on the sprocket wheels and when the chain passes over the idlers 26 and 30 the said teeth are received bythe grooves in the perimeters of said idlers. On the upper surface of a predetermined number of slats 32 are arranged vertical plates 36 which extend from end to end of said slats, and are preferably formed integral with said slats. These plates 36 form the sides of the mold boxes and are spaced an equal distance apart around the conveyer, the distance between any two of the said plates 36 being equal to the length of the before-mentioned pallet, shown at 39.

In order to form the bottom of the box to receive the concrete mixture preparatory to forming the tiles a pallet 39 is set in between two of the plates 36 after the conveyer passes over the sprocket wheels 22, thereby completing the box, as the plates 36 form the ends of the box and the side plates 14 of the bed form the sides of the box while the pallet is traveling between them. The box thus formed has a horizontal cross-section the same as the horizontal cross-section of the mouth of the hopper so that when the pallet passes under the hopper the box will register with the mouth of the hopper and the concrete mixture, shown at a, will pass from the hopper into the box. This arrangement causes the wall of the hopper shown at the right in Fig. 3 to act as a cut-0E to control the amount of plastic material which is to form the unit blank, the arrangement being such that a blank is being formed practically constantly during the operation of the machine, since the hopper is open to the carrier at all times either in advance or in rear of a plate 36; hence there is no de' lay in operation, the completion of one unit blank into its units and its removal from its forming position being simultaneous with the positioning of the succeeding blank, whereby a continuous operation is produced. After the box has been filled with the mix ture the continued movement of the conveyer carries the pallet forward until it occupies the space intermediate the plates 14 and 15. Now in this position the pallet 39 still forms the bottom of the box and the plates 36 form the ends of the box, but the sides of the box are left open to allow the shaping and compressing devices to operate on the unit blank or concrete mixture as will be described later. After the unit blank has been operated upon the conveyer is again driven and the pallet with the completed tiles is carried toward the right end of the machine from whence it is lifted off and set aside by an attendant.

The mechanism for driving the conveyor is arranged as follows :From the bottom of the bed are hung hangers 40 in which is journaled a shaft 41 which extends longitudinally of said bed. A pulley 42 is secured on said shaft by means of which said shaft may be driven by any suitable motor or engine, not shown. On the end of said shaft 41 toward the left-hand end of the machine is secured a beveled gear wheel 43. In the standard 9 adjacent the gear 43 is journaled a shaft 44 which extends at a right angle to the shaft 41. On this shaft 44 intermediate of its ends is secured a beveled gear 45 which meshes with the beveled gear 43 and on the end of said shaft 44 is secured a large wheel 46, a portion of the perimeter of which is provided with teeth. On the end of the shaft 20 adjacent to thewheel 46 is secured a gear wheel 48. The teeth on this gear 48 sides which are not serrated, shown at 49 and 50, and the perimeter of the gear 48 at the portions 49 and 50 is curved concentric with the curvature of the wheel 46. There s are however as many teeth at each side of the wheel 48 as there are altogether on the wheel 46. Now when the pulley 42 is driven the shaft 41 is rotated carrying around the beveled gear 43 which meshes with the gear 45 driving the shaft 44 and the wheel 46 secured thereon. As the wheel 46 revolves the teeth thereon will. engage with the teeth on one side of the gear 48 causing said wheel to revolve rotating the shaft 20 with the sprocket wheels 22 thereon and thereby driving the conveyor. Now when all the teeth on the wheel 46 have meshed with all the teeth on one side of the gear 48, one of the non-serrated portions of the perimeter of the wheel 48 will be brought into registra eter of the gear 48 registers with the nonserrated portion of the wheel 46. It will therefore be understood that although the wheel 4L6 revolves continuously it will only drive the gear 48 during a portion of each revolution and will only drive said gear 18 through half a revolution each time. An intermittent motion is therefore imparted to the conveyer, the object of which will hereinafter appear.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that when the sprocket wheels 22 at the left hand end of the machine are driven in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon the said conveyor will travel from left to right longitudinally of the bed of the machine and then down around the under portion thereof. While the conveyer is passing over the bed the slats thereof are firmly supported by the engagement of the rollers on the ends of said slats with the tracks 13 on the inner faces of said members 11. Also when the conveyor is not being driven it will be positively held against longitudinal movement by the locking of the gear 4L8 with the wheel 46. Therefore the conveyer serves not only to carry the material through the machine but also as a rigid support for the mold box while the tiles are being formed.

The mechanism for shaping and compressing the tiles is shown in Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7 8 and 9, and is mounted and arranged as follows :-At each side of the bed, near the middle thereof, and extending laterally therefrom are horizontally arranged arms or brackets. The arm at the left-hand side, with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, may be termed the plunger-supporting arm for this arm supports the carriage which carries the plungers that form the cores for the tiles while they are being molded, and the arm at the right hand side may be termed the knife-supporting arm, for this arm supports the carriage which carries the knives which cut the material in the mold up into tiles. In construction these arms differ only slightly, but for the sake of clearness each will be described separately. The left-hand arm comprises a horizontally arranged plate 51 which has depending side members 51 reinforced by a web 52. A vertically arranged guide bar 54: extends transversely of the plate 51 near the inner end thereof and in said guidebar 54; are formed openings 55. At the center of the plate 51 is formed a longitudinal slot 56 which extends from the outer end of said plate 51 to said bar 5 Slidably mounted upon the plate 51 is a carriage consisting of a base plate 57 having at its forward end a vertical flange 58 which is reinforced by strengthening ribs 59. Any suitable means may be employed for guiding the carriage as will be obvious. On the under side of the plate 57 is secured a rack 60, the teeth on which extend down through the slot 56. On the flange 58 are mounted four horizontally arranged plungers 62 which are tapered at their forward ends and are detachably secured to the said flange 58 by a screw or bolt 63. The plungers 62 are arranged to pass through the openings 55 in the guide bar 5 1 when the carriage is advanced. Between the guide bar 54 and the inner end of the plate 51 are arranged four hollow blocks 64, there being one block for each plunger and a small space is left between each blockfi and one next thereto. These blocks are held in position by means of a dove-tail projection 65 which fits into a dove-tail groove 66 formed in the plate 51. In each block 64: is formed a central horizontally arranged bore 68 of suflicient size to allow the plunger to pass therethrough, and at diagonally opposite sides of each block are formed small bores 69, in each of which is mounted a pin 70 of sufficient length to project at either side of said blocks Around each of the pins 70 is arranged a coil spring 71, one end of which is secured to the pin itself and the other end abuts against a shoulder 7 2 formed in the bore 69, the arrangement being such that the spring will cause the pin to project beyond the block at the side nearest to the carriage and through the said bar 54:, causing the springs to act to retract said pins. At the forward side of each of the blocks 64 are arranged plate 73 which have the same facial configuration as said blocks and are also provided with bores 74 to permit the passage of the plungers.

The right hand arm comprises a horizontally arranged plate 80 which has depending side members 81 reinforced by a web 82. Along each of the longitudinal edges of the plate 80 is formed a small beveled flange 83. A vertically arranged guide bar 84: extends transversely of the plate 80 near the inner end thereof and in said guide bar 841 are formed circular openings 85 and vertically arranged slots 85. At the center of the plate 80 is formed a longitudinal slot 86 which extends from the outer end of said plate 80 to said bar 84. On top of the plate 80 is mounted a carriage consisting of a base plate 87 which isadapted to slide on the plate 80 and is provided with downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 87 along its lrmgitudinal edges which inclose the flanges 81 on the plate 80 so that said plate 80 is held against upward displacement. At the forward end of said plate 87 is formed a vertical flange 88 which is reinforced by strengthening ribs 89 formed on the upper surface of said plate 87. On the under side of the plate 87 is secured a rack bar 90, the teeth on which extend down through the slot 86. On the flange 88 are mounted four horizontally arranged knives 92 which are detachably secured to said flange 88 by means of wedge-shaped end portions which are formed integral with said knives and fit into correspondingly arranged grooves in the said flange 88. The knives 92 are arranged to pass through the slots 85 in the guide bar 8 1 when the knife carriage is advanced. Between the guide bar 8 1 and the inner end of the plate 80 are arranged four hollow blocks 94 opposite the hollow blocks 6-1 at the inner end of the plate 51 and each of said blocks 94 is provided with a dove-tail projection 95 which fits into a dove-tail groove 96 formed in the plate 80 so that the said block is held against upward displacement but is free to slide longitudinally of the plate 80. The said blocks 94 are spaced sufficiently apart to permit the knives 92 to pass between them when the knives are advanced. To each'of the blocks 94 is secured a rod 97 which extends through the opening 85 in the guide bar 8-1 and also through an opening in the flange 88 of the knife carriage, and on the free end of said rod is secured a nut 100. On the said rod 97, near its inner end, is rigidly secured a collar 102. A cover plate 105 is secured at one end to the flange 88 of the knife carriage and eX- tends forwardly over the said knives, and the dimensions of the said plate are such that when the knives have been forced through the concrete mass the said cover plate will entirely cover the mold box. A bar 106 is arranged to extend transversely above the inner end of the plunger supporting arm and is adapted to engage the forward end of the plate 105 when the said plate has been advanced so as to cover the mold box.

As will be seen, the cover plate 105 is carried by the same element as carries the knives 92 and consequently moves therewith. As a result, the mold space which is defined by the pallet, the plates 36 and the end members 73 and 94:, is completed by the cover plate 105 only at the time it is needed to prevent the material from being pushed out of position by the cutting knives; when the plungers 62 begin operation, the cover plate is in the position shown in Fig. 6 where the pressure of the plungers will be ineffective to provide any spring or distortion to the cover plate. As will also be understood, the knives 92 when in position. within the unit blank, act substantially as walls adapted to receive the compression pressure of adjacent units. It will furtherbe noted that the plungers 62 and knives 92 are withdrawn from the mold space by motion in opposite directions, thus causing a troweling or smoothing action upon the opposite sides of the concrete mass interposed therebetween instead of the tearing action which would be produced in case tlu movement were in the same direction. Fur

bottom portions through which surplus material can be discharged. These openings taken in conjunction with the tapered forward ends of the plungers 62 form safety valves for preventing the occurrence of a too great pressure within the mold spaces. Ordinarily, the tapered forward ends of the plungers cause the material in the mold to be displaced laterally as the plunger is advanced, and thus compacted against the mold wall. This action, however, continues only until the material in the mold has reached a certain pressure, depending upon the slope of the plunger end, after which the cement, instead of being moved laterally, is shoved forward ahead of the plunger and into the block 941, from whence it is discharged by way of the aperture 140.

The mechanism for operating said carriages is as follows :On the shaft 411 is secured a gear wheel 110, the teeth on which extend uninterruptedly around somewhat less than one-half of the perimeter of said wheel and on said shaft 41 is also secured a gear wheel 111 which is serrated on diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter, the teeth on each side extending around about a qua *ter of the perimeter, A hanger 112 is secured to the bed of the machine and at one side of this hanger is mounted a small gear 113 on a shaft 11-1. A portion of the perimeter of this wheel, shown at 115, is non-serrated, and the outer face thereof is curved concentric with the curvature of the wheel 110. At the opposite side of the hanger 112 is mounted a gear 117 on a shaft 118. This gear 117 is non-serrated at the portions 119 and 120 at diametrically opposite sides of its perimeter and the faces of these portions are curved concentrically to the curvature of the wheel 11.1. A shaft 123 is hung between the side members 51 of the plunger supporting arm and projects at one side thereof. On the projecting end of the shaft 123 is secured a crank arm 124. A. liuk'125 connects this crank arm with a pin 126 eccentrically mounted on the gear 113. On the shaft 123, between the side members 51, is secured a pinion 127 here shown as of segmental shape, the teeth on which are arranged to engage with the teeth on the rack 60 on the bottom of the plunger carriage. It will therefore be seen that when the wheel 118 is driven it will rock the shaft 123 rotating the sector shaped gear 127 back ward and forward and thereby imparting a backward and forward movement to the plunger carriage. A. shaft 123 is hung between the side members 81 of the knife supporting arm and projects at one side thereof. ()n the projecting end of said shaft 1.83 is secured a crank arm 134;, a link 1235 connects this crank arm with a pin 1% eccentrically mounted on the gear 117. On the shaft 133. between the side members 81, is secured a pinion 137 here shown as segmental in shape, the teeth on which are arranged to engage with the teeth on the rack bar 90 on the bottom of the knife carriage. It will therefore be seen that when the wheel 117 is driven it will rock the shaft 133 rotating the sector shaped gear 137 backward and forward and thereby imparting a backward and forward movement to the knife carriage.

The operation of the machine is as follows :--As before explained when the shaft all is driven the conveyer will be carried through the' frame longitudinally of the bed and as the conveyor passes over the sprocket wheel 22 at the left hand side of the bed a pallet is placed thereon between a pair of the upwardly projecting plates 36 on the conve er and the said )allet and said )lates form the bottom and sides of the mold box during the whole operation of formin the tiles. When the pallet is carried beneat i the hopper which contains the concrete mixture the time being, but the large gears 11.0 and 111 will continue to rotate and the teeth on the gear 111 will be in position to engage with the teeth on the small. gear 117 causing the said gear to turn through half a revolution, at the end of which the projection on said gear 117 on which there are no teeth will coincide with the non-serrated portion of said gear 111 and said gear 117 will cease to turn, but while it was turning it rocked the shaft 133 and caused the sector shaped gear 137 to swing forward advancing the knife carriage together with the cover plate and forcing the knives through the concrete mass cutting it into the required number of tiles which in this case is four,

but the number can be altered and the size of the tiles changed by simply removing one or more of the knives as necessary. Now when the knives have been forced through the material the knife carriage will be locked in position by the locking of the gear 11.7. When the gear 111 ceases to rotate the gear 117 the gear 110 will engage with the small gear 113 at the left hand side and drive this gear through a complete revolution, at the end of which the non serrated portion of the Now as the said small gear will register with the nonserrated portion of the gear 110 and the gear will be locked against movement. Now during the rotation of the small gear 113 the sector shaped gear 127 will have been once rocked back and forth so that the plunger carriage will have been advanced forcing the plungers completely through the concrete and then drawing them out again. Now as the plungers are forced through the concrete, mving to the tapered ends of the plungers, the concrete is not shoved ahead of the plungers but is shoved and compressed outwardly into the body or wall of the tiles so that all the material from the center of the tile is still in the tiles but is compressed into the walls thereof. N ow it will also be observed that when the knife carriage is advanced the llange thereon will strike the collars 102 on the rods 97 connected with the blocks 94: at the inner ends of the plate 80, shoving the blocks forward against the mass of material which is being operated on and also when the plunger carriage is advanced the flange on the front end of said carriage will strike the small plungers 70 in the blocks (51 at the inner ends of the plate 51 thereby forcing said plungers 70 forward so that they engage the plates 73 in front of said blocks forcing them against thc1mass of material, compressing the material and causing it to fill out the corners of the mold and thereby forming perfectly shaped tiles. Now on the backward movement of the knife carriage the knives on said carriage will strike the nuts 100 on the outer ends of said rods 97 connected to the said blocks 94 at the inner end of the plate 80 drawing said blocks back and leaving a space between the completed tiles and said blocks, and on the backward movement of the plunger carriage the plates which have been forced against the o iposite sides of the tiles will be automatically withdrawn by the springs 71. connected therewith, leaving a space between the said plates and the completed tile. Now after the gear 111 has retated the gear 117 so as to draw back the knife carriage and withdraw the knives from the material the gears operating the conveyor will again come into mesh and the conveyor will be moved to the right hand end of the machine carrying the pallet with the completed tiles thereon, from whence it is lifted from the conveyer as before explained.

that I claim is,-

1. In tile making machines, the combination, with means for supporting the faces of a plastic unit blank, of a plurality of horizontally mounted cutting elements for separating the blank into units and forming walls between such units, a horizontallymounted displacing element supported upon opening through each unit and compress the material outwardly from the opening, said reciprocatory means being arranged to advance said opening forming elements only after the advance of said cutting elements and prior to the retraction thereof, whereby said cutting elements may form walls to receive the compressing pressure of adjacent units.

2. In a tile making machine, the combination, with means for supporting and inclosing a mass of plastic cementitious material,

said means including a pair of opposite, parallel, substantially vertical, apertured walls,

ofa plurality of elongated, horizontally reciprocable knives mounted outside of one of said walls and in alinement with openings therein, a plurality of elongated, horizontally-reciprocable displacing plungers mounted outside of the other wall and in alinement wlth openings therein, said knives.

and plungers being supported independently of each other and alternating with each other, means for reciprocating said knlves and plungers through their respective apertures, whereby said knives may divide the material into a plurality of tile units and form supporting partitions between adjacent units, and said plungers may form a longitudinal opening through each unit and compress the plastic material outwardly from the opening, said plunger reciprocating means being arranged to operate after the advance movement and prior to the retracting movement of said knife operating means, and means operative after the advance of both said knives and plungers and prior to their retraction for moving inwardly a side of said inclosing means so as to bring additional pressure upon said plastic material.

8. In a tile forming machine, in combination, a pair of movable apertured walls, means for supporting a pallet between said walls, a series of partition-forming knives arranged in line with certain of said a ertures, a series of plungers arranged in fine with other of said apertures, said knives and plungers being mounted for independent actuation, means for reciprocating said knives and plungers so as to cause them to enter their respective apertures and traverse the pallet. between said walls, and means for reciprocating said walls so as to cause them to approach and recede from each other, said plunger reciprocating means being arranged to institute the forward movement of the plungers only after the forward movement of the knives has become substantially completed, and said wall reciprocating means being arranged to institute the forward movement of the walls only after the forward movement of said plungers has been substantially completed.

4-. In a tile forming machine, in combination, a pair of movable walls having oppositely disposed apertures therein, alternate dividing and opening forming elements arranged in line with said apertures, said dividing and opening-forming elements being mounted for reciprocation independently of each other and adapted, when advanced, to traverse the space between said walls and enter the corresponding apertures in the op posite wall, a pallet support between said walls and spaced therebelow sufficiently to permit said walls and elements to be advanced over the upper face of a pallet thereon, means for reciprocating said elements, so as to advance them across the pallet and withdraw them therefrom, said means being arranged to advance, first, said dividing elements, and second, said opening-forming elements, and means for causing said walls to approach and recede from each other, said last named means being arranged to bring said walls most nearly together sub stantially at the time of maximum advance of said reciprocable elements, said various reciprocating means being arranged to retract first said opening-forming elements, next said dividing elements, and finally said movable walls.

5. in a tile forming machine, in combination, a pair of walls having spaced apertures therein, a series of reciprocable dividing elements mounted outside of one of said walls and arranged in line with alternate apertures, a second series of reciprocable opening-forming elements mounted outside of the other of said walls and arranged in line with the intermediate apertures, both of said elements being adapted, when advanced, to traverse the space between said walls, means between said walls for support ing pallets charged with plastic: material, the tops of said pallets being at a height to permit said elements to pass thereover, means for reciprocating both said series of elements to cause them to pierce said plastic material and be withdrawn therefrom, and movable means operative substantially at the end of the advancing movements of said elements for exerting pressure upon said plastic material.

6. In tile making machines, the combination, with a pallet support, of a pair of parallel apertured walls disposed upon opposite sides of said pallet support, reciprocable dividing and partitionforming members mounted in alinement with the apertures and adapted, when advanced therethrough,

to traverse said pallet support, said support being spaced below said members by the thickness of a pallet and said members when advanced, forming in connection with said walls the sides of a mold of which said pal.- let forms the bottom, means for reciprocating said members through said apertures, a cover plate secured to the edges of said dividing and wall-forming members so as to complete the inclosure of the mold space upon the forward movement of said members, and means operative after the advance of said members for exerting pressure upon the plastic material contained within the mold space so formed.

7. In tile making machines, the combination, with a pallet support, of a pair of parallel apertured walls disposed upon opposite sides of said pallet support, reciprocable cutting and partition-forming elements mounted in alinement with the apertures and adapted, when advanced thcrethrough, to traverse said pallet support, said support being spaced below said elements by the thickness of a pallet and said elements, when advanced, forming in connection with said walls the sides of a mold, means for reciprocating said elements through said aper-,

tures, a cover plate movable with said elements and serving to complete the inclosure,

of said mold space upon the forward movement of said elements, plunger-s reciproeable into and out of said mold space, and means operative after the advancing movement and prior to the withdrawing movement of said elements for projecting said plungers into said mold. space to perforate the material therein, whereby said elements may act as walls to receive the compressing effect produced Within the mold space and to support the material during the withdrawal of the plunger-s.

8. In a machine for forming tiles, the combination, with a bed provided with two oppositely extended guideways and a pallet support between said guideways, of a wall at each side of said pallet support and. having openings therein, said walls being substantially perpendicular to said guideways, a carriage reciprocably mounted in each of said guideways, partition-forming knives carried by one of said carriages and adapted to be advanced through certain of said openings in the nearer wall and projected into the corresponding openings in the farther wall, plungers carried by the other of said carriages and adapted to be advanced through other openings in the wall nearer to said plunger carriage and to be projected into the corresponding openings in the wall farther therefrom, and means for reciprocating both of said carriages so as alternately to advance and retract said knives and plungers, said knife reciprocating means being arranged to provide a dwell between the advancing and retracting movements thereof and said plunger reciprocating mechanism being arranged to operate during such period of dwell.

9. in a machine for forming tiles, the combination, with a bed provided with two oppositely extended guideways and a pallet support between said guideways, of a movable wall at each side of said pallet support and having openings therein, a carriage reciprocably mounted in each of said guideways, partition-forming knives carried by one of said carriages and adapted to be advanced through certain of said openings in the nearer wall and projected into the cor responding openings in the farther wall, plungers carried by the other of said carriages and adapted to be advanced through other openings in the wall nearer to said plunger carriage and to be projected into the corresponding openings in the wall farther therefrom, and means for reciprocating both of said carriages so as alternately to advance and retract said knives and plungers, said knife reciprocating means being arranged to provide a dwell between the advancing and retracting movements thereof and said plunger reciprocating mechanism being arranged to operate during such period of dwell, means for advancing said walls after said knives and plnngers have been projected into the openings farther therefrom, and means for thereafter retracting said plungcrs, knives, and walls.

10. In a machine for forming tiles, the combination, with a support for plastic material, of a pair of partition-forming knives mounted at one side of said support, an opening forming plunger mounted at the opposite side of said support intermediately of said knives, said knives and plunger-s being mounted independently of each other and arranged for movement in the same plane, and means for reciprocating said knives and plunger-s so as alternately to traverse said support and to be withdrawn therefrom, whereby said knives will divide the plastic material into a plurality of tile units and said plnngers will form longitudinal. openings therein and will displace the material outwardly against said knives, said knife reciprocating means being arranged to provide a dwell between the advancing and retrach ing movement of the same and said plunger reciprocating mechanism being arranged to operate during such period of dwell.

11. In a machine for forming tiles, the combination, with a pallet support, of a plurality of spaced knives reciprocably supported at one side of said support, a plurality of spaced plungers reciprocably mounted at the opposite side of said pallet support, said plunger-s and knives being arranged alternately, means for reciprocating said knives and plunger-s so as to advance them across said pallet support and withdraw them therefrom, said knife reciprocating means being arranged to produce a dwell between the advancing and withdrawing movements oi said knives and said plunger reciprocating means being arranged to cause a substantially complete advance and withdrawal of said plungers during such period of dwell, and means operative during the time that said knives and plungers are both in retracted position to eject the pallet previously in line therewith and bring a succeeding pallet into operative position. 7

12. In a machine for forming tiles, the combination, with a bed and pallet advancing mechanism carried thereby, said bed having a guideway at each side of the line of pallet advance, of spaced blocks carried by said bed between each guideway and the line of pallet advance and spaced apart to permit the passage of pallets therebetween, said blocks having apertures, a carriage slidably mounted in. each guideway, plurality of knives carried by one of said carriages and adapted to pass through the spaces between adjacent blocks and across the pallets, a plurality of plungers carried by the other of said carriages and adapted to pass through said apertures, and means for reciprocating said carriages successively.

13. In cement working machinery, the combination, with a pair 01 parallel side walls and devices for supporting and advancing previously charged pallets therebetween in a step by-step manner, said side walls being reciprocable toward and from each other in a direction transverse to the direction of pallet advance, of means supported at one side of the path of movement of said pallets for inclosing the material on the same and defining a mold space of which the pallet forms the bottom and the walls the ends, mechanism operative during a period of travel intermission for reciprocating said inclosing means so as to cause said means to surround the material on a pallet and then be withdrawn, mechanism operative substantially at the end of the advance of said inclosing means for advancing said walls and compressing said material, and mechanism for retracting said movable walls prior to the succeeding actuation of said pallet-advancing devices.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two wit nesses.

CHARLES M. EBERLING. Witnesses:

VIoToR O. LYNoH, N. L; MODONNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 11). El. 

